Roosters Win See-Sawing Contest

The Sydney Roosters have won a see-sawing contest at Remondis Stadium tonight in front of 12163 fans defeating the Cronulla Sharks 24-18.

The home team received an early Easter present before the game tonight, with news inspirational leader Paul Gallen would make an early return from the ankle injury he suffered in round one.

The skipper had an immediate effect on the home team making plenty of bustling runs early on to put his team on the front foot giving his outside backs plenty of room to move.

Ricky Leutele capitalised with the first try of the night after putting a neat in and away and palm on the chest of Sonny Bill Williams to race 45 metres down the left touch line to cross in the 15th minute. Gordon hit the conversion sweetly from out wide to give his team a 6-0 lead.

The Roosters were quick to hit back with a try to in form Boyd Cordner in the 19th minute after he angled on to a short ball from Tuivasa-Sheck to level the scores at six all.

The Roosters crossed again in the 25th minute after some end to end play from both teams which would set the tone for the remainder of the match.

Todd Carney tried a chip and chase but failed to regather and Tuivasa-Sheck made an electric run up towards halfway before drawing and passing for Maloney to race away and score giving the Roosters a 12-6 lead which they took into the break.

The home team came out firing in the second half and scored quickly through Sharks back-rower Wade Graham after a bust down the right from Blake Ayshford. Gordon levelled the scores with the conversion.

In perhaps the turning point of the match, Roosters winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall raced the length of the field to score, bursting onto a Carney kick across field after the Sharks had been attacking deep in the Roosters red zone.

The Roosters were beginning to control the game with some strong charges and a smart kicking game, trapping the Sharks deep in their own half until a Maloney grubber rolled dead.

The Sharks then scored an amazing 80m try after Jonathan Wright took a quick 20m restart and sent the ball to Leutele in space, who put another nice move on to send his winger Sosaia Feki on a 50 metre sprint down the left to score. Gordon again converted to level the scores once again at 18 all.

The knockout blow came in the 71st minute when Rooster's half Mitchell Pearce backed up his own kick to put Jennings into space and eventually send Kenny-Dowall over for a double. Maloney nailed the kick from the sideline to give his side what proved to be an unassailable lead.

Next week the Roosters will take on the Dragons in the traditional Anzac Day battle with the Dragons while the Sharks will be at home again to the Panthers.

LATE MAIL: Cronulla Sharks - Paul Gallen returns to the Sharks after being sidelined with injury. Chris Heighington shifts to the bench which sees Tinirau Arona start at lock forward. Michael Lichaa returns to the side after being dumped to the NSW Cup after reportedly signing with the Bulldogs for 2015 and beyond.

Welcome to coverage of this Easter Saturday clash from Remondis Stadium between the Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters. The Sharks have received an early Easter present welcoming back inspirational leader Paul Gallen. Both teams will be desperate for a much needed win tonight, the Sharks looking for just their second of the year and the Roosters looking to bounce back from 3 straight losses.

2: And were under way with the Sharks getting 1st use

3: Roosters make a break through Guerra and is brought down just short of the line

36: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKSSosaia Feki makes an unforced error.Feki rules to have knocked on after a high bomb from Pearce

36: Roosters scrum 10 out from sharks line...

38: Sharks hang on with some brave defence. They will work it out from their own line

38: Sharks kick goes dead, 20m tap for the Roosters

39: Graham defuses a Roosters bomb on the last

40: Halftime at Remondis and the Roosters take a 6 point lead into the sheds. They have made big metres with the ball in hand, but some unforced errors are hurting them at the end of their sets lacking the polish they displayed all last year. A much improved effort from the Sharks tonight so far with Gallen leading the way with some bustling runs. They also will be looking to finish off their attacking raids after a number of chances went begging.

40: Were back underway and the Roosters bring it back through Liu

42: A big 1st set from the Roosters making 80m but the bomb from Pearce bounces dead

42: VIDEO REF for a possible Sharks try...Ayshford made a bust down the right and they immediately spread it left for Wade Graham to crash over...

42: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS Scored by Wade Graham. Kick to come.And the try has been awarded. We have a ball game on our hands tonight!

64: Maloney chips into the corner again for the Sharks to work it out from deep in their half

66: Maloney forces a dropout with a neat grubber off the inside of his boot

67: Roosters rubber goes dead

68: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS Scored by Sosaia Feki. Kick to come.The Sharks have gone 80m to score from a quick 20m tap. Wright spread it left for young Leutele who put on a nice move to send Feki down the sideline

75: Sharks kick at the end of their set but Mini catches it & brings it back

76: Maloney grubber roles dead, another 20m tap for the Sharks

77: Carney chips over the top but u can put Minichiello in the slips because that was a blinder!

78: VIDEO REF for a possible Roosters try...

78: NO TRY. Penalty Sharks after SKD was offside from a Jennings touch of the ball

79: Plenty of passes thrown in that set as Sharks search for the opening, but it doesn't come

80: Maloney drills it into touch & the Sharks cant pack the scrum in time.

80: The defending premiers have returned to winning ways in a see-sawing contest against a much improved Sharks outfit.
Thanks for joining us and have a very Happy Easter folks.
Stay tuned for the match report coming soon..